"I think there has been a lot of work that has been done," Rodgers told Sky Sports News yesterday. "If you look at us as a club and recruitment, we haven't been resting over the course of the off-season - a lot of great work has gone on.

"We've targeted players, we've signed some and we'll have more signings to come over the course of the pre-season. The idea is by the end of August we'll have the squad together and it will be a really exciting time for us next season.

"Next season will be equally as tough, we knew it would be tough, we had an incredible performance level and we'll have players who want to prove themselves and the beauty is that we as a club will improve too.

"We've a lot of young players who will have gained experience last season and we will bring in more players with added quality so we will also improve as well and that's something I'm really looking forward to seeing."

Despite the impressive work and exciting future, the media spotlight unsurprisingly continues to fall primarily on controversial striker Luis Suarez.

Previously the shamed star, along with other notable personnel from within the Uruguayan team and football association, had pleaded his innocence and claimed the incident was merely an accidental clash.

Speaking via social media from his home town of Montevideo, the 27-year-old now admits: "After several days of being home with my family, I have had the opportunity to regain my calm and reflect about the reality of what occurred during the Italy-Uruguay match on 24 June 2014.

"Independent from the fallout and the contradicting declarations that have surfaced during these past days, all of which have been without the intention of interfering with the good performance of my national team, the truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me.

"For this: I deeply regret what occurred. I apologise to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family; I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident like (this)."

The global ban currently stands at four months which, in addition to a separate total of nine international games, will rule the striker out of 13 Liverpool fixtures when the new season commences in August.

Regardless of the outcome of any appeal, Suarez is still permitted to transfer to another club and many media outlets, including the well-sourced Liverpool ECHO, believe the apology may be aimed at helping to secure a move to Barcelona.

The Spanish giants have openly admitted their interest in the player but are yet to make a formal offer.

Neither Suarez nor his advisors have informed Liverpool of a desire to leave so far but the prospect of a transfer happening appears to be growing.

The Merseysiders, shocked by the former Ajax man's actions just a year after a previous indiscretion of the same nature, are unlikely to stand in the way should an appropriate bid - in the £70m to £80m range - be made.

Such an offer could trigger a release clause in the forward's contract but a player-plus-cash deal, possibly involving Chilean international Alexis Sanchez, is potentially a more palatable outcome for both parties.

Suarez is understood to own property in Cataluna and his wife, Sofia, also has ties to the area.